L\'ART DE L\'HORLOGERIE EN FRANCE DE ...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 14, 1993

LOT 165

Breguet à Paris, circa 1785. Fine and rare ormolu and white marbie double dial calendar clock.

CHF 100,000 - 120,000

C. Shaped rectangular marbie base, set on four gilt bronze feet with palmettes and pearl decoration, with applied gilt bronze fleurons and frieze with pearl border, the gilt bronze clock support with matching decoration, the drum supported on a double acanthus scroll flanked by trailing acanthus foliage brackets with pendant pearls and surmounted by a ribbon tie. D. White enamel on the front, by G. IVIerlet, with outer by date ring, inner concentric indication of months, the signs of the Zodiac, the age of the moon and the days of the week with corresponding planetary signs. White enamel on the rear face with reversed Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring (slightly restored on the border. Gilt brass Louis XVI hands. M. Brass circular with going barrel, anchor escapement, short pendulum with silk suspension. Signed on the front dial. In good condition. Dim.


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Notes

This clock vas made before the records, currently preserved by Maison Breguet, were begun, it is therefore impossible to give an exact date of sale nor the price paid. As this clock was specifically designed to be placed on a mantelpiece in front of a mirror, the meantime dial is mounted on the back and inverted. The front side is therefore devoted to the elegant calendar indications. Such clocks are extremely rare, and this certainly appears to be the sole example by Breguet. In fact, Breguet produced very few decorative docks, and most of these before he fled to Switzerland during the Terror. A clock of conventional design was included in the auction 'The Art of Breguet' as lot M m r & c D u c d e C o % n y © Bibliothèque Nationale, Le Duc de Coigny Marechal Coigny, born in Paris on 28 March 1737, Marquis, elevated to the title of Duke and "Pair de France". After joining the musketeers in 1752, he was to enjoy a distinguished military career. Quarter- Master general of the Dragoons in 1754, followed by promotion to Brigadier in the cavalry in 1755, he \vent on to fight with distinction at a number of battles during the next five years. Coigny became Governor of Cambray in 1773, Knight-commander of the order of St. Esprit in 1777, Lieutenant-General in 1780 and "Pair de France" in 1787. Well thought of by Louis XVI and member of the circle of the closest friends of Marie-Antoinette. A devoted supporter of the House of Bourbon, he was forced to leave France during the Revolution, but returned with Louis XVIII, to be further honoured at court. Marechal Coigny died on 18 May 1821 at the Hotel des Invalides. Marechal Coigny's friendship with the Queen of France, and the fact that he owned one of Breguet's early complicated watches is of considerable interest when trying to piece together the history of the company before the records began in 1792. According to Breguet himself, writing a letter through his son, some twenty years later, he made the first "perpétuelle" watch for the Duc d'Orléans in 1780 (it may actually have been a little later), the second for Marie-Antoinette in 1782, and another for Count Fersen, also a favourite at Court. As none of these three watches, and indeed several others that are reputed to have been made for the royal circle has been positively identified, the appearance of this repeater provides valuable evidence to support the story of Breguet's royal patronage during his early career in Paris.